


Wild Mushrooms in the Brambles

by shopfront



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, F/F, Making Out, Running Away, Secret Relationship, Seelie Court
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:02:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27432466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shopfront/pseuds/shopfront
Summary: Allison and Cora have been waiting futilely for the right time to be together. They're determined not to let outside forces stop them any longer.
Relationships: Allison Argent/Cora Hale, pre-Talia Hale/Melissa McCall
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2
Collections: Femslash Exchange 2020





	Wild Mushrooms in the Brambles

**Author's Note:**

  * For [problematiquefave](https://archiveofourown.org/users/problematiquefave/gifts).



Erica growled low and loud when an arrow landed with a thunk in the tree behind them, and all around them came a sudden baying as their kin took up the call to arms. The pucks tossed their horns, the beasts flashed their eyes, and through them all walked their Queen, stately and calm.

“What insult is this?” called Talia of the Glade, her voice carrying easily across the clearing as her courtiers parted before her.

“If a true insult was intended then my daughter’s arrow would have found a different mark,” the King called back from the other side. He stood tall with his feet apart and shoulders thrown back as if already bracing for battle, but his glare towards the archer beside him did not go missed by any from either court. Peace had been hard-won since his overthrow of his sister’s dark rule and he had seemed the most determined of anyone to keep it.

While all eyes were on the two leaders as they squared off, Cora was able to reach back unnoticed. She ran her fingers down the shaft of the arrow until she dislodged the little slip of paper tied there and carefully unrolled it to free it. When her fingers finally folded it tightly against her palm, she was confident that nobody had seen her do it. 

Nobody except for the young woman who stood on the other side of the clearing watching Cora’s movements closely. Her bow now hung harmlessly from her fingers, and there was a small smile on her face that Cora was careful not to return.

*

_“I don’t know how soon I can slip away again without being caught,” Allison said against the curve of Cora’s neck._

_Cora growled as Allison continued to kiss and nip her way up to the line of Cora's jaw. She paused there and they stood still for a moment, just leaning together and soaking in each other’s presence. The moment didn’t last long before Cora flipped Allison, pinning her against a tree and returning the favour._

_“Try,” was all she said in reply between kisses, but the word was heavy with frustration._

_It made Allison sigh and finally push Cora away, even when Cora protested and tried to wriggle in closer again. “I wish I could, but my aunt… you know what she’s been like lately. I think it’s getting worse. My father tries to distract her but she’s intent on taunting the mortals.”_

_That stilled Cora's wandering hands._

_“If your Queen gets anymore vindictive it won't matter how many secret places we can find to meet in. We’ll have far bigger problems,” Cora said, brow furrowed._

_Allison looked equally concerned. “I know. It'll mean war.”_

*

They were almost caught at the edge of the Silver King’s stronghold. Cora had noticed people approaching them first and she tugged Allison into a stand of rowan trees only moments before the guards rounded the corner of the path. They waited there until she could no longer hear footsteps, nor the crackling of leaves or branches being disturbed; it still wasn’t enough. When they stepped back onto the path, they found a wailing one lying in wait for them.

“Whatever you’re doing out here, it’s making me want to scream,” Lydia said. Her voice was distant and her eyes unfocused and Cora was suddenly chilled to the bone. "You're going the wrong way, it's going to end in-”

Lydia tensed and opened her mouth to scream but Allison darted forward in the nick of time to cover Lydia’s mouth with her hand and pull her into a tight hug. After a moment Lydia relaxed again, dropping her head against Allison’s shoulder and hugging her back.

“You’re off to join the mortal realm and you won't be coming back,” she said when they finally, reluctantly, separated.

Allison exchanged a long look with Cora before sighing and shaking her head. “I don’t know, Lydia. We might not even be able to find our way there and I don’t want to go, but-”

“After everything both sides did to stop Queen Kate, you'll never be allowed to be together here,” Lydia finished for her, already nodding. “I know. I don’t like it but I understand why you have to leave. You should have told me though, I could have helped.”

“I didn't want to make things difficult for you when my father starts looking for me. If I thought for a moment that they’d accept Cora by my side… or even me by hers,” Allison replied, voice quiet as she trailed off.

Lydia wiped at the corners of her eyes and straightened her back, jaw firm and a haughty expression back on her face. “You need a distraction if you’re going to get away without running into the next patrol. They'll just escort you back and imprison Cora if they catch you here. Leave it to me,” she said as she brushed past them in the direction of the guards they’d only narrowly avoided. She hesitated once she was a few feet away though and turned back to speak, her eyes distant and unfocused once more. “There is only one safe portal left. Find the one beloved by the Queen.”

“What does that mean?” Allison asked, but Lydia was already looking more like herself again and shrugging.

“I think I know,” Cora said, reaching for Allison. “Thank you,” she said grudgingly to Lydia as she tugged Allison away.

Lydia watched them leave with a sad expression. “Take care of each other,” was all she said before she disappeared from sight, and soon after there was a haunting scream that followed them out of the woodlands and rang in their ears long after they had left the King’s territory behind.

*

They found Melissa deep in the Queen’s private forests, gathering flowers and humming to herself. She startled when she spotted them, unused to anyone else being there but Talia, but there was only determination left in her expression once they'd explained what they needed and why.

“Your mother told me this is the only way through if Scott and I ever decide to return home. All the other ways were tainted or laid with traps to keep Queen Kate out,” Melissa explained as she led them deeper into the forest to a beautiful little glade, with a bubbling brook and a very particular type of mushroom tucked away in the shadows of the trees.

“Thank you,” Allison said, echoing Cora.

“Don’t mention it. Really, please don’t, because I probably shouldn't be helping you. Talia did us a kindness taking my son and I in-”

“Because she loves you,” Cora interrupted.

“-after we ended up alone,” Melissa said, seemingly to herself as though she hadn’t heard Cora's words. Her eyes widened a moment later though, and she turned to Cora in confusion.

Cora reached over to squeeze Melissa's shoulder as she continued. “My mother took her children aside before she brought you both into our court. She told us how she'd spied a beautiful woman in the woods gathering herbs when she was on one of her walks in the mortal realm, and that she had fallen for you from afar and wished to help you.”

Melissa’s lips parted soundlessly and she cocked her head to the side, clearly deep in thought as Cora released her and returned to Allison’s side.

“Tell her that I'm sorry to leave her but I must follow in her footsteps and find a way to be with my own love."

"Right," Melissa said distantly, before shaking herself and narrowing her eyes as her voice turned stern. "At least _try_ to be careful and whatever you do, don't forget where this ring is. Things are different there and it might not be like you expect. You might want to come back."

"We will be careful, but whatever we find there we'll face it together," Allison replied confidently; then with a shared smile, Cora and Allison stepped as one through the ring of mushrooms. Blinking, they emerged on the other side in the harsh noonday sun of the mortal realm but they held tight to each other, determined to never let go.


End file.
